Harry g



H. G. McMURRAY.

ART OF SETTING FASTENING MEANS I'N SHOES.

APPHCATION FILED JUNE 6, I914.

Patented May 6 UNITED s'rn'rns rnrn'r ornion.

HARRY G. MCMURRAY, OF MANCHESTER, NEW -HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COREORATION, OEPATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATIQN OF NEIV JERSEY.

ART OF SETTING FASTENING MEANS IN SHOES.

Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented May 6, 1919.

Application filed June 6, 1914. Serial No. 843,438.

5 and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain Improvements in the Art of Setting Fastening Means in Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention aims to provide a novel and improved method of attaching fastening devices to, or inserting them in, boots, shoes and other articles. For purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, the present disclosure is directed to eyelets as a con venient medium of explanation.

The fastening portion of a shoe is ordinarily the upper or quarter, and in this the eyelets are usually set, serving to permit the passage therethrough of the shoe laces, at the same time protecting the leather from the strain consequent upon lacing and the use of the shoe.

The shoe quarter usually comprises an outer or leather portion backed by a lining portion (frequently of textile material), and facing stays secured to the lining portion so that the lining layer lies between the outer leather and the stays. The facing stays are usually of leather and ordinarily are secured in place by stitching. In the case of a leather-lined shoe there are usually no separate facing stays, but instead stiffening strips of canvas or the likemay be inserted between the outer leather and the leather lining'to afford firm holding for the eyelets.

Two methods of inserting eyelets have been generally known in the art: the, visible method and the invisible method, so-called. In setting eyelets visibly, the eyelet has heretofore been inserted from the outside of the shoe upper or quarter with the eyelet barrel extended entirely through all parts of the quarter, and with its inner, clenched end exposed on the inner surface of the facing stay or leather lining, as the case may be. The smooth finished head end of the eyelet is, in such method, exposed on the outside surface of the shoe. In setting eyelets invisibly, the prevailing practice has i been to insert the eyelets from the inside of the quarter but having the eyelet barrel extended through the inner layers only of the quarter upon one of which its end is clenched. By such method the clenched end is concealed by and beneath the outside leather layer which is provided with punched holes to register with the hidden eyelet and permit the passage of the laces.

Each of these methods of eyelet-setting possesses its relative advantages. For example, the visible eyeleting, as above referred to, is stronger and gives a desirable finished appearance to the outside of the shoe, but the inner clenched end of the eye let barrel, being somewhat rough and exposing bare metal, has a tendency to injure and discolor the wearers stockings and to present in many cases an uncomfortable projection which irritates the foot. The invisible eyeleting referred to, while present ing a smooth flat surface to the foot of the wearer, leaves the shoe with an unfinished outward appearance, merely the punched hole through the outer leather appearing from theoutside; and it is further objected to in-thatthe strain of tight lacings tends to stretch this unsupported outer opening and expose the clenched prongs of the upset end of the eyelet.

The method of my invention obviates all the disadvantages of both these existing methods and at the same time gains the advantages of both.

. In practising my method, the eyelet is set visibly-that is, it is inserted from the out side of the shoe so that the smooth finished end of the eyelet is externally visible; but I clenchtheinne'r end of the eyelet, not upon the inside surface of the lining or facing stay, but upon the inside of one of the intermediate layersof material and between the same and the lining or facing stay, with the result that the clenched end of the eyelet barrel is protected from contact with the foot and apparelflof the wearer, no part of the eyelet appearing within the shoe.

In practising my method, the innermost layer of material is punchedwith an open= ing to register with the eyelet to permit the passage of the lacing. If these openings in the lining stretch o'r distort under the strain of lacing, no'harm is done for, unlike the outer leather, the lining is not visible.

These and other advantagesof the invena tion, as applied in connection with eyelets, will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of this illustrative application thereof, together with the accompanying drawings illustrating its steps and the shoe produced thereby.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a View in perspective showing part of a boot upper in condition for the eyeleting operation;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section showing punching and eyeleting tools suitable for carrying out the present method in operative relation to an upper;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the upsetting die; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective showing part of a boot upper having eyelets set there in in accordance with this invention,

The first step in this illustrative application of the present method consists in the production of a shoe upper or other fastening-portion having its various parts made up, permanently if necessary or desired, substantially in that relation which they are to occupy in the finished boot or shoe. A boot upper of this character is shown in Fig. l in which the outer or leather portion is indicated by reference character 32. The lining 33 of textile material constitutes theinner portion of the upper and a leather facing stay 30 is secured within the upper at each side of the lacing slit. The inner edge of each facing stay 30 is secured to the lining 33 by a line of stitching 39 and the outer edge is secured to the outer portion of the upper by the line of stitching 35. A line of stitching appears on the outside of the upper at 37 and extends parallel to the stitching 35, but it is merely for ornamental purposes anii extends through the outer portion 32 on y.

Frequently, a second, intermediate layer of textile material such as canvas is interposed between the lining 33 and the outer portion 32 of the upper to afford better holding for the eyelets. Such a stiffening strip is indicated by reference character 26 in Fig. 4 where the lining 33 is illustrated as ripped free and turned back at one corner.

The second step as disclosed, consists in punching an eyelet holethrough all parts of the upper simultaneously if desirable. The hole thus formed in the outer or leather portion 32 of the upper and the intermediate lyer 26 is for the reception of an eyelet barrel, while the hole 40 formed in the fac ing stay 3Qa1one remains to be seen inside the shoe and affords a passage for the lacing.

The third step as disclosed,- consists in insetting an "eyelet from the outside of the shoe, not through all the layers of material, but through one or more of the outer portions of the upper, as may be convenient, and clenching the end of the eyelet barrel between the adjacent surfaces of two of the leyers. This is done preferably while all the parts of the shoe upper are maintained in the normal relation they are intended to occupy in the finished shoe. As above stated, this may be effected by any suitable tools, such as disclosed in the co-pending application of Edward E. Cote, Serial No. 819,835, filed February 19, 1914.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a punch 20 is shown as arranged to cooperate with a punching die 22 to perforate the upper resting on the table 19 which may be the work table of any well known eyeleting machine as fully explained in said application above identified. At one side of the punching tools the setting dies are arranged and the work is advanced after the punching operation to bring the punched holes into alinement with the setting dies. The lower setting die 16 is provided with the usual center spindle 18 and acts to present an eyelet to the upper and insert itsbarrel through the previously punched hole in the outer portion of the upper, which rests upon the table 19 with its finished surface down. The upsetting die is of a character commonly employed for setting blind eyelets, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and has a heavy flange 10 from which projects a solid spindle having a shouldered portion 12 and a reduced leader 14 The construction of this tool is such that when inserted from the inner side of the upper the portion 12 will pass through the hole in the facing stay and the shoulder upon which is formed the upsetting surface will encounter the barrel of an eyelet inserted in the upper from the opposite side at any desired point or level to clench it upon the surface of any desired layer and beneath the facing stay.

This illustrative application of my method has been described in connection with a boot having facing stays and a textile lining, but my method is not limited to such a boot or shoe butrn'a'y be used in connection with any construction of shoe desired, providing as it does a method by which the eyelet may be inserted from the outside of the quarter and clenched within the quarter in such a position as to be concealed from the inside of the shoe.

It will also be noted that the present method may be practised in connection with eyelet-setting without in any way interfering with the usual manner of'coinmercial manufacture, because the eyelet-setting 0pera'ti'on maybe performed afterall parts of the upper have been completely and permanentlv attached together. This characteristic renders the present invention of great commercial value since, in accordance therewith, it is possible to produce work of distinctly superior quality at no advance in cost over the method formerly practised.

While i have described my invention as specifically applied to the setting of eyelets, it has, of course, equal applicationto the insertion or attachment of other fastening devices which may have parts extending into or through the outer layer of the shoe.

Having now described one illustration of the method of my invention, together with the product thereof and one form of apparatus for carrying out this application of the method, r

I claim i. That improvement in the art of shoe making which comprises producing an upper comprising an outer portion and facing stays located permanently in that position which they are to occup in the finished shoe, punching eyelet holes through both the outer portion and the facing stays and then setting eyelets in the outer portion in register with holes in the facing stays.

2. That improvement in the art of shoe making which comprises producing an upper including an outer portion and facing stays permanently stitched to the outer portion, and then setting eyelets in the outer portion of the upper with clenched ends of the eyelet barrels covered by the facing stays.

3. That improvement in the art of shoe making which consists inproducing a quarter comprising an outer portion, a lining part, and facing stays, all of said parts being secured permanently together, and then alternating the operations of punching eyelet holes through all of said parts, with the operations of inserting eyelets from outside the quarter through the outer portion and the lining part, and clenching the eyelet barrels on the lining and independently of the facing stays.

4. That improvement in the art of shoe making which comprises producing a quarter including an outer leather portion and an inner lining portion co-extensive therewith and permanently stitched thereto along the top and front edges, then punching eyelet holes through both of said portions, inserting eyelets from outside the quarter through the outer portion thereof, and clenching the eyelet barrels on the covered surface of the outer portion and independently of the lining portion.

5. That improvement in the art of shoe making which consists in producing a quarter comprising an outer leather part, an intermediate stiffener part, and a lining part, all of said parts being permanently secured together, and then alternating the operations of punching eyelet holes through all parts of the quarter, with the operations of inserting eyelets from outside the quarter through the outer leather part and the stifi'ener, and clenching the eyelet barrels on the inner face of the stifiener by an upsetting tool inserted through the lining part.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY G. MOMURRAY.

Witnesses GEORGE H. CLARKE J. LYMAn Cnow.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommisnioner of Patents, Washington, D. O.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,302,942, granted May 6,

1919, upon the application of Harry McMurray, of Manchester, New Hampshire,

for an improvement in The Art of setting Fastening Means in Shoes, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3,

lines 16-17, claim 1, for the Word position read relation; same page, line 27, claim 2, before the word clenched insert the article the; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 30th day of September, A. D., 1919.

[SEAL] M. H. COULSTON,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 2l8--l4. 

